web-i-sode - n. - It's not in Webster's yet, but it is on Wikipedia. Basically, it's an episode of a television show made specifically for distribution on the web (www or World Wide Web).
Heroes
A very good example (and one of my favorites) is the Heroes graphic novel. It fills in the gaps, gives background, and extends the story of the broadcast episodes. You can view them in static or animated form, or download them in printable pdf format. There are 72 chapters now. Check them out!
Monk and Psych
On USA. Also see full episodes of each. And Burn Notice, too.
Dexter
Three webisodes of The Dark Defender, Dexter's "superhero" (?) alter ego. You can also see a toned-down version of Dexter on CBS starting Feb. 17.
Battlestar Galactica
(Surprisingly, they are still available. Other, more recent webisodes on Sci Fi Pulse have disappeared.)
Chuck
The nerd super-spy on NBC.
Mythbusters Raw
Not SF ( it's classified as "documentary," not reality), see outtakes, extra footage, and original stories. 80 clips available. (Mythbusters Uncut, Experiment Extras, Busting Buster, much more.)
....and many more. They come and go (can't find the Eureka or Razor webisodes anymore - maybe on You Tube) so keep checking your favorite shows' network website for new content. They also usually talk about them during commercial breaks (if you don't DVR over them).
Friday, February 15, 2008
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Fan Films
(more alternatives to network programming during the writers strike)
This post: Fan Films.
I'm talking about science fiction fan films that have their own websites, not the fan films that show up on You Tube, Atom Films, and I-Films (though they certainly can and have appeared there). They are usually longer (30 to 40+ minutes even) and have have actual budgets. (Yes, they spend money on them.) The most popular and successful fan films happen to be based on two of the most popular and successful franchises (imagine that!) - Star Wars and Star Trek. These groups make these films with the approval of the copyright owners and the understanding that they are not making them for profit. They certainly put in a lot of time and effort in producing them:
Trek:
Star Trek: New Voyages - with several actors from the original series - three episodes available now - with two more on the way. (2-19-08: new site/link)
Hidden Frontier - multiple episodes and downloads available
Star Trek Intrepid - group effort of several fan film groups
Starship Farragut - still more Star Trek fan films
Starship Exeter - two movies with multiple parts
Wars:
Star Wars - Revelations - huge production (for fan films)
FanFilms.com - from TheForce.net - mostly, but not entirely, Star Wars fan films
Fan Film Hosting Pool - downloads for ten different Star Wars fan films (part of the Fan Film Database)
And don't forget The Pink Five Trilogy, mentioned in a earlier post.
This post: Fan Films.
I'm talking about science fiction fan films that have their own websites, not the fan films that show up on You Tube, Atom Films, and I-Films (though they certainly can and have appeared there). They are usually longer (30 to 40+ minutes even) and have have actual budgets. (Yes, they spend money on them.) The most popular and successful fan films happen to be based on two of the most popular and successful franchises (imagine that!) - Star Wars and Star Trek. These groups make these films with the approval of the copyright owners and the understanding that they are not making them for profit. They certainly put in a lot of time and effort in producing them:
Trek:
Star Trek: New Voyages - with several actors from the original series - three episodes available now - with two more on the way. (2-19-08: new site/link)
Hidden Frontier - multiple episodes and downloads available
Star Trek Intrepid - group effort of several fan film groups
Starship Farragut - still more Star Trek fan films
Starship Exeter - two movies with multiple parts
Wars:
Star Wars - Revelations - huge production (for fan films)
FanFilms.com - from TheForce.net - mostly, but not entirely, Star Wars fan films
Fan Film Hosting Pool - downloads for ten different Star Wars fan films (part of the Fan Film Database)
And don't forget The Pink Five Trilogy, mentioned in a earlier post.
Monday, February 4, 2008
More Streaming Video
Thursday, January 31, 2008
What to watch during the writers strike:
As I write this, the WGA is still on strike (mostly) and most weekly original content series are out of production and will soon run out of new episodes - if they have not done so already. Even if the strike is resolved and the writers return to work, it will take weeks or months for production to catch up again. So I've been looking for interesting things to watch, since reruns of most shows, so soon, are not. These "things to watch" fall into several categories:
Internet streaming video
Fan Films
Webisodes
Reruns of shows I missed the first time (or don't watch regularly to begin with)
(extremely limited number of) Reality shows (I hate most of them and refuse to watch them, but there are a couple good ones)
Miscellaneous DVDs and VHS tapes from my collection
Classic satellite channels
Internet Streaming Video
Independent
You Tube has been in the news lately for picking up more traffic from new and current viewers looking for something to watch. You can probably find a clip from somebody of just about anything you can imagine. Just phrase your search carefully. Yahoo Video has a similar service, and I think there are a couple of others I can't remember now and/or don't know about. Here is one video I posted on You Tube - about Richard Dean Anderson's MacGuyver/Stargate connection.
Atom Films has a wide selection of independent professional and amateur videos. Some of my favorites are: Music for One Apartment and Six Drummers and Return of Pink Five (actually, the whole Pink Five series is good). I never watch music videos (well, not never, just rarely) but I found Twist by Goldfrapp at Atom Films a couple of years ago (now it's on You Tube) and discovered a new group I like (bought the Black Cherry CD because of it). So check out the music video section also.
I-Films has similar content - independent professional and amateur films. It appears to have been taken over (or assimilated?) by Spike TV - it used to be a separate entity. Most of the links I have to Star Wars fan films there still work, so I don't think they blew away any content. You can see Star Wars: Revelations here, as well as on their own site (more later under fan films). (Since I-Films is associated with SPIKE now, you can watch clips from most SPIKE shows here, also.)
Network
Most of the broadcast networks now offer - for viewing online - full episodes of their top shows, so if you miss an episode because you forgot to set your DVR or had too many shows to record at the same time, you might be able catch up with it on the network's website. Here they are: ABC, CBS, CW, FOX, NBC, PBS. (some require you to install a player.)
Satellite and Cable Channels
A lot of the "basic cable" channels offer clips and full episodes for viewing online - too many to list here. Here are a few I like and recommend:
Sci Fi Channel - scifi.com (I forgot to record Eureka one night but was able to watch it online the next day.)
Mythbusters/Discovery Channel (for clips of outtakes and extra footage that wouldn't fit on the show - go to home page for full episode videos of other shows on Discovery, TLC, and Animal Planet.)
Turner Classic Movies (mostly clips, original trailers, and featurettes - but there are 194 pages of them!)
Adult Swim (full episodes of almost everything - best are Ghost in the Shell and Robot Chicken.)
Comedy Central (mainly for The Daily Show.)
More on the remaining categories in the next installment.
Internet streaming video
Fan Films
Webisodes
Reruns of shows I missed the first time (or don't watch regularly to begin with)
(extremely limited number of) Reality shows (I hate most of them and refuse to watch them, but there are a couple good ones)
Miscellaneous DVDs and VHS tapes from my collection
Classic satellite channels
Internet Streaming Video
Independent
You Tube has been in the news lately for picking up more traffic from new and current viewers looking for something to watch. You can probably find a clip from somebody of just about anything you can imagine. Just phrase your search carefully. Yahoo Video has a similar service, and I think there are a couple of others I can't remember now and/or don't know about. Here is one video I posted on You Tube - about Richard Dean Anderson's MacGuyver/Stargate connection.
Atom Films has a wide selection of independent professional and amateur videos. Some of my favorites are: Music for One Apartment and Six Drummers and Return of Pink Five (actually, the whole Pink Five series is good). I never watch music videos (well, not never, just rarely) but I found Twist by Goldfrapp at Atom Films a couple of years ago (now it's on You Tube) and discovered a new group I like (bought the Black Cherry CD because of it). So check out the music video section also.
I-Films has similar content - independent professional and amateur films. It appears to have been taken over (or assimilated?) by Spike TV - it used to be a separate entity. Most of the links I have to Star Wars fan films there still work, so I don't think they blew away any content. You can see Star Wars: Revelations here, as well as on their own site (more later under fan films). (Since I-Films is associated with SPIKE now, you can watch clips from most SPIKE shows here, also.)
Network
Most of the broadcast networks now offer - for viewing online - full episodes of their top shows, so if you miss an episode because you forgot to set your DVR or had too many shows to record at the same time, you might be able catch up with it on the network's website. Here they are: ABC, CBS, CW, FOX, NBC, PBS. (some require you to install a player.)
Satellite and Cable Channels
A lot of the "basic cable" channels offer clips and full episodes for viewing online - too many to list here. Here are a few I like and recommend:
Sci Fi Channel - scifi.com (I forgot to record Eureka one night but was able to watch it online the next day.)
Mythbusters/Discovery Channel (for clips of outtakes and extra footage that wouldn't fit on the show - go to home page for full episode videos of other shows on Discovery, TLC, and Animal Planet.)
Turner Classic Movies (mostly clips, original trailers, and featurettes - but there are 194 pages of them!)
Adult Swim (full episodes of almost everything - best are Ghost in the Shell and Robot Chicken.)
Comedy Central (mainly for The Daily Show.)
More on the remaining categories in the next installment.
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